Affirmative Action, Critical Race Theory, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The MAGAs really want to use the N-word.
Issue #800 The Choice, Tuesday, February 4, 2025
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The United States of America is currently experiencing an internal coup headed by the elected president and an unelected private citizen who bought the presidency.
All Federally-run agencies, the United States Treasury, and the very Constitution are under attack.
The airlines, the food industry, U.S. intelligence, our health, our education, our federal payments, and all of the safety protocols we fought so hard to put in place and depended on are no longer genuinely independent or viable.
The questions are:
What can be done about this?
What can WE do about this?
Why are policies that help anyone who is not a white, Christian, heterosexual male needed?
From even before the United States of America came to be and through today, America has prioritized the white, Christian, heterosexual male. Today, and in the last sixty years, white men are complaining about “reverse racism,” claiming that any policy that assists marginalized communities is unfairly hurting them.
The first enslaved Africans were brought here in 1619. That was the premise of “The 1619 Project” by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and professor Dr. Hannah Nicole Jones. In response, Trump decided to start “The 1776 Project,” as if that wasn’t already part of the American history taught and promoted from Day One.
The original United States Constitution specifically protected white men with property. No one else was even considered a U.S. citizen.
It took a Civil War and several additional constitutional amendments and executive orders over the next one hundred years to gain true equal rights for Black and brown people, women and girls, the disabled, and LGBTQA+ Americans.
However, non-white, non-male, non-straight, and non-Christian people are still continuously discriminated against and accused of taking away rights and positions that, according to the accusers, rightfully belong to them and them only.
Meanwhile, the entire adminstration of the #ConvictedFelon, starting with him, is filled with mediocre, un- or under-qualified people who are racist and sexist, just like their Dear Leader.
Darren Beattie was just hired for a senior State Department role by the Trump administration. He recently stated: "Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work," Beattie wrote in a post on X. "Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities and demoralizing competent white men."
Now, even though many of them are this close to using the N-word, they're substituting Affirmation Action, Critical Race Theory, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. But what do these terms really mean?
Affirmative action, critical race theory (CRT), and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become pivotal topics in racial and social justice discussions in the United States. These concepts, while distinct, share the goal of addressing historical inequities and fostering a more inclusive society. Below, I'll provide a brief history and current understanding of these concepts and their outcomes.
Affirmative Action: rectifying centuries of legalized discrimination.
History:
Origins: Affirmative action policies began in the 1960s as part of the civil rights movement, aiming to rectify historical discrimination against marginalized groups by promoting diversity in education and employment.
Key Legislation: President John F. Kennedy first used the term "affirmative action" in 1961, and it gained further traction with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Legal Battles: Over decades, affirmative action has faced numerous legal challenges, with opponents arguing it constitutes "reverse discrimination." Key Supreme Court cases have shaped its implementation, such as Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) and Fisher v. University of Texas (2016).
Current Outcomes:
Implemented to increase representation of underrepresented minorities in colleges and workplaces.
It continues to generate debate over its efficacy and fairness, with some claiming it levels the playing field and others arguing it discriminates against non-minorities.
When a person from a marginalized community gets a job or a place in education, that person does not necessarily “take the place” of a white person and is certainly not "less qualified.”
Critical Race Theory (CRT)
History:
Origins: Emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s among legal scholars as an academic framework to examine the intersection of race, society, and law in the United States.
Key Contributors: Figures like Derrick Bell, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and Richard Delgado have been instrumental in its development.
Current Outcomes:
CRT has become a contentious political topic, with some states conflating it with the teaching of Black History.
Critics argue it's divisive, while proponents say it’s essential for understanding systemic racism and its impact.
CRT is not taught at the undergraduate level or in K-12 schools and is not a substitute for teaching Black History.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
History:
Evolution: DEI initiatives expanded in the 1980s and 1990s as organizations recognized the value of diverse perspectives in fostering innovation and addressing inequities.
Implementation: DEI encompasses many efforts, including training programs, hiring practices, and policy changes to create a more inclusive environment.
Current Outcomes:
Widely adopted across various sectors, from corporations to academia, focusing on creating equitable opportunities and fostering diverse communities.
DEI initiatives go far beyond the racial component. They include opportunities for women, for veterans, and for the disabled.
“Diversity is an outcome. Equity is the path to get there. Inclusion ensures we travel that path together.”
Overall Impact and Controversies
Understanding the real implications of affirmative action, CRT, and DEI requires moving beyond rhetoric and considering their goals of fostering a more just and inclusive society. These policies and frameworks continue to evoke strong reactions, reflecting the complexities of race, power, and privilege in America.
We must continually educate others about the accurate definitions, history, and outcomes of affirmative action, CRT, and DEI.
We can and must also support the companies keeping their DEI initiatives in place and boycotting those who are not.
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Starting when I was a middle school student, I wondered why American history began in Europe and not with the Indigenous on the American continent. Years later I understood exactly why we began with Martin Luther and Henry VIII. Have to use that Eurocentric lens as early as possible.